Federal Investments Support B.C. Talent and Labour Development for Critical Minerals and Sustainable Supply Chains

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 7, 2023 /CNW/ – As a trusted and reliable supplier of responsibly sourced mineral and metal products, Canada is well positioned to be a leader in the responsible, inclusive and sustainable production of critical minerals and resilient value chains. We have a role to play in powering the low-carbon economy, both at home and around the world, while creating sustainable jobs. Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy outlines the need for Canada to leverage international partnerships with like-minded countries to diversify and secure supply chains, secure good working conditions and ensure competitiveness.

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a $1-million investment over two years to the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining (BRIMM) to support the development and increased offering of its Executive Microcertificate in Economic Leadership for Mining program.

The program will boost professional careers by teaching organizational leadership skills while addressing key challenges faced by mining and exploration companies worldwide. Funding will provide 300 scholarships targeting individuals who require financial support to access the program, making it more inclusive and accessible to a wider audience. BRIMM will also provide two in-person microcertificate programs for up to 50 students each in Argentina and Chile to grow and strengthen professional networks.

BRIMM microcertificate graduates will actively contribute to enhancing environmentally sustainable practices through conscious leadership in a world where business optimization and sustainability have become a priority for economic development. The program will help address the current skilled labour shortages in the mining sector in Canada and many other mineral-rich countries.

In 2019, Canada joined the governments of Australia, Botswana, Peru and the United States to found the Energy Resource Governance Initiative (ERGI), with the goal of sourcing and disseminating best practices across the international mining sector while also promoting responsible mining with a focus on economic growth and environmental performance. At COP15 in 2022, Canada, along with Australia, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, launched the Sustainable Critical Minerals Alliance to drive the global uptake of environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive and responsible mining, processing and recycling practices and responsible critical minerals supply chains. Through commitments like these, Canada is pursuing collective action on critical minerals to support the global transition to green energy and more-resilient supply chains.

“Canada is a world leader in environmental, social and governance standards with respect to mining. The Government of Canada is seizing the generational opportunity presented by critical minerals in a way that benefits every region across the country and enhances Canada’s international leadership in this space.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson 
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

In December 2022, $70 million was allocated for the Global Partnerships Initiative (GPI) over seven years to advance Canada’s global leadership on critical minerals under Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy. The GPI aims to support Canada’s growing number of bilateral commitments and engagements in the critical minerals space.Through multilateral engagements, Canada is pursuing collective action on critical minerals to support the global transition to green energy and more resilient supply chains. Notable multilateral organizations and initiatives include the G7; the G20; the International Energy Agency; the World Bank; the International Renewable Energy Agency; the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development; the Energy Resource Governance Initiative; the Sustainable Critical Minerals Alliance; and the Minerals Security Partnership.This funding for UBC demonstrates Canada’s commitment to ERGI by developing a uniquely Canadian program of work that will advance environmentally sustainable practices in the global minerals and metals industry.Both Argentina and Chile are rich in critical mineral endowments, particularly copper and lithium. Canada is a major mining investor in both countries, and we have significant overall trading partnerships.Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy is part of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy, which advances Canada’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy — Canada.ca
Canada Joins the Energy Resource Governance Initiative — Canada.ca
Countries Commit to the Sustainable Development and Sourcing of Critical Minerals
Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining (BRIMM) — UBC Mining Research Hub
Fall Economic Statement 2023: Building an Economy That Works for All Canadians
2030 Emissions Reduction Plan
British Columbia Regional Energy and Resource Table — Framework for Collaboration on the Path to Net Zero
Strengthening battery manufacturing in British Columbia to secure good jobs and keep our air clean

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada